91 Chapter 91

There is no safe space in Nohas, as you never know when or where monsters will appear.

This is not like a city back on Earth; monsters appear in the strangest of times and places, and suddenly attack.

The closest thing to a safe place in Nohas is a city controlled by a Ten Stars division, which is why awakeners tend to say that "Carter is one of the safest cities in Nohas."

And the reason for this is the existence of the Grand Duelists: any sign of a monster appearing around Carter would spur the Grand Duelists into action against these monsters.

These awakeners love raiding monster lairs, because this is how they gain power, experience, and if they are lucky, new skills.

Compared to the skills given to Grand Duelists who raise their rank and standing within the division, it isn't much, but it is worth investing in until a Grand Duelist can raise their rank and learn something stronger.

Carter is a city that is kept secure by the division controlling it.

Tonight, though, there was fire: Carter burned.

Screams filled the night as the noncombatants and retired awakeners in Carter went to their designated evacuation spots.

Some of the injured and retired awakeners of Carter were able-bodied enough to at least defend their home or make sure the civilians were able to get to safety.

Since they were also rather powerful in their prime, they still had a remnant of this power within them, and thought this was sufficient to keep the invaders at bay.

This ultimately did not matter, as the invading awakeners crushed all opposition in their way with their maces.

When it became clear that the injured and former awakeners of Carter would not stand a chance against these invaders, their efforts turned to keeping the invaders away while the civilians could evacuate.

They were successful, but not without paying a terrible price.

The sound of bones broken and the pained screams of awakeners pierced the night, as these mace-wielding invaders tore a path through Carter.

These weapons were from an age where combat skills weren't paramount, and blunt force was just as good at defeating monsters than edged ones.

To complicate things, there were a lot of these invaders, around the amount of a usual unit of awakeners.

Thankfully, the Grand Duelists appeared and stopped before there was even more loss of life.

"Who are you?" the awakeners asked, and the invaders' reply was charging in with their maces.

The Grand Duelists did not panic, and stepped back from the incoming attack…

…only for the last images they'd ever see were the maces descending towards their heads.

The first line of defense went down, the contents of their heads splattered all over the streets, and then the second wave backed up in fear as someone emerged from the invaders, a mace in his hand as well.

"Li is gone, and their main unit is gone. The Grand Duelists are weak."

He pointed his mace at the second unit of awakeners.

"Wipe them out."

They charged.

***

The unknown invaders attacking Carter were completely unlike any others.

While invaders would focus on the military force of a location, these attackers killed indiscriminately: civilians, the injured, children.

It was as if their intention was to totally eradicate the Grand Duelists, and in the most brutal of fashion.

They were also acting as if they wanted to destroy the city itself: setting fires, demolishing buildings with their maces…

A group of them were about to set upon several fleeing women when they were suddenly torn to pieces.

"What do you bastards think you're trying to pull?" a voice asked, and as several masked awakeners tried to do the same, Connor appeared, drew his sword, and slashed the rest of the masked awakeners apart with little effort.

As the highest-ranked awakener in the Grand Duelists apart from Li and LJ, he is also the strongest awakener in the division.

The invaders drew their maces and charged at this lone enemy.

"Support Connor and eliminate the invaders," another voice intoned, and Connor's escort emerged, cutting down the next wave of invaders easily.

These were the elite of the Grand Duelists.

These were the powerhouses of a Ten Stars division.

"We will defend our home!" the other awakeners cried out as Klay and GD Security made their appearance.

As they are part of the pillars making up the Grand Duelists, they rallied and began fighting back, together with the other Grand Duelists, who were training themselves with monster raiding.

Unfortunately, their counterattack fell short.

"We're being pushed back…!"

"What the hell are these guys? They're too strong!"

"They've prepared a lot for this. They've completely analyzed our skills. How is this possible?"

This surprise invasion on Carter brought out the strength of the entire Grand Duelists – but it seemed even that would not be enough.

Even Connor was now having trouble facing off against an invader with long hair and wielding two maces.

'Who the hell is he?' Connor thought, as he found himself on the back foot against this complete unknown.

Those who could stay toe to toe with Connor was but a handful of awakeners in Nohas, but nobody had ever heard of this guy before.

Connor didn't know who this man making grotesque sounds was.

'It's some sort of skill, disrupting my fighting rhythm! And he's keeping me here to stop me from helping out!'

Connor clenched his teeth as he saw the horrible scene, and the aura surrounding his sword began to expand, causing the air around it to resonate.

Nearby awakeners were briefly distracted as the expanded aura was swung down towards this mace-wielding invader.

He crossed his maces to defend from the attack and a sandstorm whipped up around him.

Superhuman power was contained within the storm, and the clash was hidden from the view of the other awakeners.

'That's it, Connor took care of him!

Once he's done, we can reverse the situation!'

Such a powerful attack would have taken out the invader.

Unfortunately, what followed the attack was the same crazed laugh from the invader.

The sandstorm subsided, and the Grand Duelists could see their champion Connor on the dirt, a trickle of blood flowing from the side of his mouth.

"Impossible!"

***

Master Li is one of the strongest awakeners in Nohas.

And it was during his absence that these unknown invaders attacked.

Furthermore, with LJ and his unit sent away for a mission, the Grand Duelists were effectively only fighting with a third of their potency.

With Connor down, the situation of Carter and the Grand Duelists had quickly grown dire.

'This… what the hell is going on?' Klay thought, the sense of despondency beginning to rise within him. 'If we do not hold, the Grand Duelists could be removed from Nohas tonight.'

'Such an inconceivable situation… the work of generations, destroyed by enemies for a reason we do not yet know…

…They have prepared for this, and they are fully committed to annihilating us,' Klay thought. 'What kind of conspiracy could have been hatched for tonight? They have brought in enough to strike while we are vulnerable.

I hope Li is doing well. It would be horrible if these invaders were also responsible for his absence?

Also, how long have they been preparing for this?'

The horrible thought resurfaced.

'Should we have to abandon Carter?'

Klay thought of retreating: as it was the worst-case scenario to be annihilated in a fight like this and return to Carter once Li returns.

'But what about our reputation?

No, reputation is unimportant. Our civilians have mostly been evacuated, but if we retreat, they will be left to the tender mercies of these butchers…

I need to do what I need to now!'

He was about to give the order to GD Security; to save Connor and maybe what was left of their forces…

That was when everyone heard a strange noise.

One of their civilian shelters was overrun, and several of the invaders were about to break in when their leader suddenly stopped as something small and blue tore into his throat.

He dropped dead a few moments later.

His companions didn't fare too well, as something spinning passed by them, and they simply fell apart into bloody chunks.

And then the sound grew louder.

'Is that…?' Klay thought at the familiar sound.

Just then, something that looked like a long blue blade flew at the stranger about to bash Connor's head in.

The invader fought off the weapon, but the sword darted in and out, dancing around the enemy.

"I hope you little bitches realize just how fucked you are by fucking with my home!"

A motorcycle drove in and rammed one of the unknown invaders with its wheel, crushing the invader's chest.

"Mind if you guys give me a hand here? We have some pest control to do," the same voice declared.

The Grand Duelists had long consisted of Master Li leading the division, with LJ and Connor supporting him.

It was at that moment that there was another pillar added to the Grand Duelists.